Your Fantasy Book Based on Your Favorite Disney Princess

Cinderella

Book: The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Synopsis: Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, must reclaim her dead mother’s throne and learn to rule while facing numerous threats. With elements of magic and a strong, determined heroine, this story echoes the themes of transformation and destiny seen in Cinderella.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️ (Low spice, more political drama than romance)

Tropes: Lost princess, reclaiming the throne, reluctant queen, slow burn

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.01)

Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

Book: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Synopsis: Feyre, a huntress, is taken to a magical kingdom as punishment for killing a faerie wolf. There, she discovers the beastly fae lord, Tamlin, and unravels the curse affecting his world, blending romance with dark fantasy elements.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Explicit in later books)

Tropes: Beauty and the Beast, enemies to lovers, fae romance, chosen one

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.21)

Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

Book: To Kill A Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Synopsis: Lira, a siren princess, is transformed into a human and tasked with stealing the heart of Prince Elian, a notorious siren hunter. Their journey explores themes of identity, transformation, and forbidden love.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️ (Clean with romantic tension)

Tropes: Siren x prince, enemies to lovers, sea adventure, forbidden love

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.00)

Mulan

Book: The Wrath & The Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

Synopsis: Shahrzad volunteers to marry the murderous Caliph of Khorasan, Khalid, to avenge her best friend's death. With themes of bravery and hidden strengths, Shahrzad's journey mirrors Mulan's quest for honor and justice.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️ (Sensual, tastefully written)

Tropes: Revenge to love, arranged marriage, retelling, strong heroine

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.10)

Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)

Book: Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer

Synopsis: When half-sisters Isabelle and Aurora are separated by a curse, Isabelle must navigate a dangerous fairy tale realm to rescue her sister. The story’s magical curses and heroic quests parallel Sleeping Beauty’s enchanted slumber and awakening.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️ (Very mild)

Tropes: Fairy tale retelling, sister bond, magical quest, curses

Goodreads rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.43)

Snow White

Book: Queen of Snow by Laura Burton and Jessie Cal

Synopsis: A dark retelling of Snow White, where Queen Eira must navigate the treacherous Winter Kingdom, facing betrayal and finding unexpected allies. This tale of royalty, betrayal, and romance aligns with the essence of Snow White’s story.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️ (Some steam, varies by volume)

Tropes: Retelling, enemies to allies, fantasy court, found family

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.06)

Jasmine (Aladdin)

Book: The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

Synopsis: Zahra, a powerful jinni, is summoned by a young thief named Aladdin. As they embark on a quest to save their world, Zahra grapples with her growing feelings for Aladdin, blending adventure and romance in a magical setting.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️ (Clean, with romantic tension)

Tropes: Jinni x thief, forbidden love, retelling, magical world

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.02)

Pocahontas

Book: The Bird and The Sword by Amy Harmon

Synopsis: Lark, a mute girl with magical abilities, is taken by King Tiras, who seeks to use her powers to save his kingdom. Their evolving relationship and the clash of different worlds reflect the themes of understanding and connection found in Pocahontas.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️ (Soft, emotional intimacy)

Tropes: Silent heroine, magical powers, enemies to lovers, royalty

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.20)

Rapunzel

Book: Entwined by Heather Dixon

Synopsis: In "Entwined," Azalea and her eleven sisters are trapped in their castle by an evil magic after their mother dies. Every night, they escape through a magical passage to dance in an enchanted pavilion. Azalea, the eldest, takes on the responsibility of protecting her sisters and breaking the curse that binds them, all while navigating a budding romance with a mysterious stranger.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️ (No spice: YA fantasy)

Tropes: Magical curse, protective sister, dancing magic, slow burn

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (3.93)

Elsa (Frozen)

Book: Frostblood by Elly Blake

Synopsis: Ruby is a Fireblood who must hide her powers from the Frostblood ruling class. When her powers are discovered, she is taken in by a group of rebel Frostbloods who need her help to overthrow the oppressive Frost King. As she trains and learns to control her abilities, she forms a bond with Arcus, a mysterious Frostblood warrior.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️ (Mild to moderate)

Tropes: Opposites attract, elemental powers, rebellion, training together

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (3.88)

Moana

Book: The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
Synopsis: When storms threaten her village, Mina sacrifices herself to the Sea God to save her brother. In the spirit realm, she discovers that the Sea God is not what he seems, and she must unravel the mystery of his curse to bring peace to both their worlds.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️ (No spice: sweet romantic fantasy)

Tropes: Mythology-inspired, sacrificial heroine, spirit world, found family

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.10)

Tiana (The Princess and the Frog)

Book: The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Synopsis: In a future dystopian London, Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld, using her ability to dreamwalk. When she's captured and imprisoned, she discovers a hidden realm and forms a complex relationship with Warden, a Rephaite.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Slow burn, grows across books)

Tropes: Dystopian fantasy, psychic powers, enemies to lovers, forbidden bond

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.01)

Merida (Brave)

Book: Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead

Synopsis: Eugenie Markham, a powerful shaman, is caught between her human and fae heritage. As she battles deadly creatures, she also deals with complex relationships with two strong, contrasting lovers, Kiyo and Dorian.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Steamy scenes)

Tropes: Fae politics, love triangle, warrior heroine, fae realm

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.09)

Anna (Frozen)

Book: The Winter King by C.L. Wilson

Synopsis: Wynter Atrialan, the powerful Winter King, takes Khamsin Coruscate, a Summerlea princess, as his bride to secure peace. As they navigate their icy marriage, Khamsin’s warmth begins to melt Wynter’s heart, uncovering secrets and passions.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (High steam with emotional tension)

Tropes: Marriage of convenience, ice x fire, enemies to lovers, royalty

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.26)

Megara (Hercules)

Book: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Synopsis: This retelling of the legend of Achilles and Patroclus explores their deep bond and the trials they face. Through love and war, their story is one of bravery, sacrifice, and the pursuit of honor.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Tender and sensual)

Tropes: Greek mythology, tragic romance, queer romance, fate vs. choice

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.40)

Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

Book: Radiance by Grace Draven

Synopsis: Ildiko, a human noblewoman, and Brishen, a Kai prince, are married off in a political alliance. Despite their vast differences, they forge a deep bond built on mutual respect and friendship, which gradually blossoms into love.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Slow burn, respectful intimacy)

Tropes: Arranged marriage, interspecies romance, friendship-to-love

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.26)

Raya (Raya and the Last Dragon)

Book: The Tiger's Daughter by K. Arsenault Rivera

Synopsis: In a world inspired by East Asian cultures, "The Tiger's Daughter" tells the story of two young women, Shefali and Shizuka, who are destined to save their empire from a looming darkness. Raised together and bound by love and prophecy, they must face political intrigue, powerful enemies, and their own inner demons to fulfill their destiny.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (On-page intimacy between women)

Tropes: Warrior x empress, sapphic romance, prophecy, East Asian-inspired world

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (3.67)

Mirabel (Encanto)

Book: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Synopsis: Linus Baker, a quiet and meticulous caseworker for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, is sent on a top-secret assignment to a mysterious orphanage on a secluded island. There, he meets six dangerous children, including a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, and the Antichrist. The caretaker of the orphanage, Arthur Parnassus, is determined to protect the children and give them a safe home. As Linus gets to know the children and Arthur, he begins to understand that their uniqueness is their greatest strength.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️ (No spice: gentle romance)

Tropes: Found family, magical children, grumpy/sunshine, slow burn

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.38)

Jane Porter (Tarzan)

Book: The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

Synopsis: Angerboda, a powerful witch in Norse mythology, survives a brutal betrayal and is exiled to the wilderness. There, she encounters Loki, and their complicated, passionate relationship unfolds amidst a world of gods and myths. As Angerboda grapples with her own powers and destiny, she faces challenges that test her love and strength.

Tension scale: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Earthy, sensual Norse romance)

Tropes: Mythical retelling, witch x trickster god, motherhood, survival

Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆ (4.04)